


I Just Want To See You Again

by lancel0t



Category: Granblue Fantasy (Video Game)
Genre: Ah my very late valentine's day fic haha whoops, Childhood Friends to Lovers, Long Distance Relationship, M/M, Mutual Pinning, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-19
Updated: 2019-03-07
Packaged: 2019-10-31 10:04:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17847341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lancel0t/pseuds/lancel0t
Summary: Lancelot and Vane have always cared for each other and been together, until an event that forces Vane to move away. Despite this, they still stay in contact, they grow and talk and bond despite the distance. As adults, they finally decide they want to meet again, will they be able to? Will their busy lives continue to keep them apart?





	1. Chapter 1

  
  
     They had always been together. As children they would play outside, pretend, play in the mud, collect bugs, play in the nearby river. They grew older, into teenagers; they went to school, studied, but they never grew apart. The two were always by each others sides. Then, an incident happened and one of them had to leave. They were upset, crying, they weren't supposed to be apart, they didn't want to be apart. They promised they'd never lose contact, they promised they'd never grow distant. They promised to meet again.    
  
\---

 

     Lancelot sat at his desk in his room, working hard on reports that needed to be complete by the morning. Normally he didn’t like doing things last minute, but he was assigned this task right when he was leaving for the day. He stopped typing on his computer to stretch, lifting his arms then reaching down to touch his toes. The only good thing about working from home is he could wear more comfortable clothes, and keep delicious snacks nearby at all times. He took a cookie from the back he’d bought on the way home, eating it quickly before returning to his reports. He’d just started his new job as an accountant, not something he planned on doing, but he figured it would work for now. The man really wanted to save up some money so he could live without having a roommate, not that he minded, and it wasn’t that he didn’t want a roommate at all… Lancelot shook his head and kept on working. 

 

About an hour later, his messenger app pinged, he knew exactly who it was from at this hour. 

 

_ Vane: lancey!!! :D! _

 

_ Lancelot: hey vane!  _

 

_ Vane: i just got home and i wanted to chat hows ur day goin?? _

 

_ Lancelot: oh y’know, i got dumped with a bunch of work to do right when i was leaving work -_-;; so i’ve been doing that since i got home.  _

 

_ Vane: have u eaten!!?? i kno u get absorbed in ur work lancey make sure u eat _

 

_ Vane: and shower _

 

_ Vane: and brush ur teeth _

 

_ Lancelot: haha vane ok i get it _

 

_ Vane: lancey. Did u eat _

 

_ Lancelot: … _

 

_ Lancelot: (typing) _

 

_ Vane: SNACKS DONT COUNT!!!!!! _

 

_ Lancelot: no… _

 

_ Vane: LANCEY!!!!! EAT!!! _

 

_ Lancelot: I WILL.  _

 

_ Vane: Good.  _

 

_ Lancelot: what about you vane? Stop worrying about me for a second and tell me about your day _

 

_ Vane: oh u kno, just the same ol same ol _

 

_ Vane: tho i got an idea for a new recipe and im mega excited to try it out!! _

 

_ Vane: if only i could feed u tho u need my cookin :/ _

 

_ Lancelot: yeah… it would be nice to try your food vane :)  _

 

_ Vane: ugh!! This isnt fair! we need to see each other again how long has it been!! _

 

_ Lancelot: i believe since we were 14 _

 

_ Vane: UGH!!!! This is why we need to meet up!!! _

 

_ Lancelot: i agree, but sadly i’m so tied up with working i can’t really do that rn :( _

 

_ Vane: hhhhghghghghggrhrghhh _

 

_ Lancelot: i’m sorry vane… _

 

_ Vane: its not ur fault lancey!  _

 

_ Vane: ill see what i can do _

 

_ Vane: i dont have a lot of money rn but!! I can figure somethin out ill keep u updated _

 

_ Lancelot: vane… _

 

_ Vane: i gotta….i wanna cook for u.. And see u again _

 

_ Vane: also i wanna see how much taller i am than u >:D  _

_ Lancelot: >:/ _

 

_ Lancelot: anyways, i really need to finish this report and then head off to bed after i eat, sorry to cut things short today vane  _

 

_ Vane: its ok lancey! As long as we got to talk a lil today its fine w me!!  _

 

_ Vane: GOODNIGHT!!!  _

 

_ Vane: DONT FORGET DINNER!!! _

 

_ Lancelot: goodnight vane _

  
  


     Lancelot typed, _“i love you vane”_ before quickly deleting the message. It’s been years and he still didn’t have the courage to tell Vane his feelings; he also felt a bit guilty having to cut their conversation so short. He leaned back into his chair and thought about how Vane said he wanted to cook for him. Both of them were well aware of Lancelot’s inability to cook anything and how he mostly ate instant food. Vane always complained he should learn, which he did try once...but it didn’t turn out well. He decided not to tell Vane of his sad attempt either.He closed his eyes and imagined coming home to Vane making dinner for the both of them and a cheerful _“Lancey! Welcome home!”_ come from his friend. Lancelot would walk to the kitchen to see what Vane was cooking and hug him from behind, then kiss his cheek. Vane would laugh and ruffle Lancelot’s hair. They would both enjoy Vane’s homemade meal together then maybe watch tv, or play games together. Then they could fall asleep in each other’s arms when they were both tired enough to sleep. The scenario was absolutely perfect. Of course, Lancelot could never talk about this out loud to anyone, especially not to Vane. He wasn’t sure when he fell for his childhood friend, but he knew for a fact he missed him a lot; and he regretted that it’s taken him so long for them to meet up in person again. Life just kept getting in the way for them, and he wished it wasn’t so. Lancelot just wanted to see him everyday, to be close and to hold his hand, to k- there he goes again. He wasn’t even sure if Vane liked him romantically anyways! Vane was a kind man, but would he share the same feelings? He shook his head, this wasn’t the time to think about this. He had work to be finished by the morning. Quickly Lancelot began working again, his thoughts of Vane motivating him.

 

\---

 

      Vane frowned as Lancelot said he had to go, he really wanted to keep chatting with his friend. It was one of his favourite things to do when he was done working for the day. Lancelot was a very special person to him, and he wished they hadn’t been separated at all! Vane thought back to that day, it was recently after his parents passing; another event he wished never happened. Pretty much everyone in their little town was at the funeral, Vane cried on Lancelot’s shoulder the entire time. He stayed at his house and Lancelot did everything he could to comfort him. Normally Vane was the one who would clean up and bring Lancelot food, but at that time Lancelot made sure Vane’s room was clean the way he liked it, that he ate every day, and that he did simple tasks like take care of his hygiene, anything he could possibly do. Vane was had never been one to suffer from depression, but even the happiest people can be stricken with grief, and there Vane was, at his lowest he’d ever been and Lancelot was there for him until he had to move to his grandparents house. That day was outrageously painful for him. Vane cried and cried, even after arriving, he knew he’d miss Lancelot every passing day. Even though they had each other phone numbers and could IM, it just wasn’t the same as being there with him when they’d been together so long. They talked, Lancelot continued to comfort him as best as he could, they would call and talk for hours, simply existing together was enough for Vane. 

 

     Vane stood, he hoped Lancelot listened to him and went to eat, his friend was really good at forgetting to take care of himself, even when they were younger. Lancelot would forget to clean his room constantly, especially when he was upset. Vane wondered if he ever learned how to cook, or if he just ate instant food like he would when his parents weren’t home. Vane chuckled to himself. He walked down his hallway, lined with family photos, some with him and his parents, some that also included his grandparents, and others that included cousins, aunts, and uncles. He really wished he didn’t live alone; at least he was planning on getting a dog very soon to keep him from being so lonely, he’d just bought a dog bed, dog toys, the best dog food he could find, and dog treats! He’d been eyeing a specific dog from his local shelter and he informed them that he’d be preparing to get the dog as soon as he was ready. He walked into his empty kitchen and opened the refrigerator, pulling out some ingredients to make a simple meal. He sighed, he really wished he could cook for Lancelot too. The two of them have been separated for way too long. He knew his friend wanted to see him too, but he wondered if he also had… feelings. Feelings like, wanting to hold hands, and sleep in the same bed together. Lancelot tells Vane quite a bit about himself, about his hookups, his boyfriends, and it seems like he really doesn’t feel the same way about Vane. He felt a slight sad ache in his chest. He cooked and ate his meal alone in his home. 

 

\---   
  


     Lancelot ended up pulling an all nighter to finish those reports, the man walked to work with bags under his eyes, a coffee in hand, and his hair slightly messier than usual even though he brushed it several times before leaving for work. The office was bustling already, and Lancelot had a piercing headache, his boss was already waiting for him at his desk. 

 

“So, did you get those reports done Lancelot?” He set his bag and coffee on his desk, then pulled the papers from his bag, handing them to his boss.

 

“Here you are sir.” He yawned. “It wasn’t easy, but I managed.” His boss smiled and pat Lancelot hard on the back. 

 

“Such a hard worker! If we had more guys like you in the office things would run way smoother! Thanks Lancelot!” With that, he walked away. Lancelot yawned again and sat at his desk, taking another sip of his coffee before getting to work. 

 

The day passed by way too slowly for him, but soon he made his way home, back to his room where he could be in peaceful silence. As soon as he walked into his room, he pulled out his phone and sent a message to Vane, he knew his friend should be home from work by now, so he hoped he wasn’t too busy to reply, as Lancelot felt he could fall asleep any minute. 

 

_ Lancelot: vane, sorry again for not being able to talk very long yesterday _

 

_ Lancelot: but how are you today :)? Mine was pretty rough, i pulled an all nighter last night, everything feels like a blur honestly _

 

Lancelot set his phone down, maybe he could close his eyes for just a moment, he would still hear his phone if Vane replied anyways, plus he had to take a shower and eat. A power nap should be just fine…

 

Lancelot woke up several hours later,  it was around 3am when he checked his phone, also noticing several messages from Vane. Ah, so the power nap really didn’t work huh…

 

_ Vane: LANCEY!!! :D!!! HI! _

 

_ Vane: work was ok! kinda rough but im getting a dog rn and im super excited!!!!! _

 

_ Vane: hes a boy and his name is dumpling! Hes such a sweet little boy and hes gonna be sooooo spoiled!! im crying…. Ahhhh _

 

_ Vane: i hope you showered n stuff last night _

 

_ Vane: otherwise im flyin over there and im gonna make u bathe!!! fool!! _

 

_ Vane: lancey? _

 

_ Vane: awww did u fall asleep??? _

 

_ Vane: i hope ur sleepin good my dear friend <3 _

 

Lancelot stared at that little heart emote at the end of his last message, he smiled. He knew it was just a nice gesture as they were very close friends. But he felt his chest tighten slightly, he was just too cute. He regretted falling asleep, now he couldn’t talk to Vane like he wanted to. Lancelot planned on asking if they could voice chat and watch a movie together at some point, work was still busy but it was almost the weekend, and Lancelot really wanted to enjoy some time alone with Vane, and see his new dog as well. Despite how late it was, Lancelot decided to reply anyways. 

 

_ Lancelot: im so happy for you vane, i know youve wanted a dog for a while _

 

_ Lancelot: dumpling is such a cute name for him, i want to meet him someday _

 

_ Lancelot: also _

 

_ Lancelot: would you like to rabbit a movie this weekend or next weekend? work has been really busy and id love to wind down a bit with you, and i wanna see this little dumpling you got :)! _

 

_ Lancelot: it’s late, i hope you’re having pleasant dreams vane, goodnight! _

 

     Lancelot set his phone on his bed, sitting up and stretching, he hated falling asleep with his work clothes on, but he guessed it couldn’t be helped today. He hadn’t pulled an all nighter since he was in college, so his body was very unused to staying up so long anymore. After changing, he went to the bathroom and did his routine, he decided he’d take his shower in the morning. He picked his phone back up as he laid back down in bed, adjusting to get comfortable under the blanket. He stared at his chat with Vane and sighed. 

 

     “Things really have to be this way, hm? Why can’t we just move in together already…” He was talking aloud to himself, wishing he could be with his childhood friend. There was no one keeping them apart, more like, circumstances. In the past, they were both not financially able to travel to see each other, they both agreed that they wanted to be stable with steady jobs before they saw each other. This helped the both of them cheer each other on through the rest of highschool, through college prep, and college. Now, they both had nice jobs, though Lancelot had his current one until he could find something better, it was a well paying job. He wondered, it’s been long enough, right? It wouldn’t take him too long to save up some money to fly and see Vane, the issue was getting the vacation time. Perhaps he could work something out with his job to let him work from home…he wasn’t sure. All Lancelot knew, is he wanted to get most of the prep done before talking to Vane, he wanted it to be a surprise. He smiled to himself, he had a new goal. The man put his phone down and went back to sleep, the smile never leaving his face. 

 

\---

 

     The days passed, and Lancelot began his planning, he decided first to try and sneakily ask Vane what a good time to visit would be. Luckily for him, Vane had agreed on voice chatting during the weekend, and the day for them to do so had come. 

 

_ Lancelot: tell me when you’re ready to vc vane :)  _

 

_ Vane: ok lancey! just gimme a few mins! _

 

About five minutes passed and they both started a call. 

 

“Hey Vane!” 

 

“Lancey!! 

  
  


Vane immediately turned on his webcam and waved to his friend. 

 

“First order of business, my new family member!” Vane grinned, he then leaned out of frame and picked up a small golden retriever, whose tail was wagging excitedly. The puppy in Vane’s hands squirmed and Vane almost dropped him but quickly recovered, the camera cut off as Vane used one hand to put the puppy in his lap. 

 

“Vane, you didn’t say you were getting a puppy! He’s so adorable, my gods. What did you name it?” What Lancelot didn’t want to reveal is that he not only almost cried from seeing Vane’s face, but just seeing him hold up the pup and see his excited expression along with the excitement of the dog, it was absolutely adorable. He wished he could just be there in person and kiss Vane all over, and his dog, Lancelot clenched his fists. His fantasies would have to wait. 

 

“His name is Dumpling!” 

 

Dumpling… His friend was just too cute. Lancelot felt like he was going to faint. Lancelot felt like Vane had told him this already, but nonetheless, he felt a small happy ache in his chest for him. 

 

“Dumpling… Vane, that’s a wonderful name.” Lancelot was smiling, the feeling he felt while talking to Vane was euphoric. Vane laughed. 

 

“Aw shucks thanks Lancey! So what did you wanna watch tonight?” 

 

     The two of them continued their night on the voice call together, Lancelot felt so happy being able to commentate with Vane on the movie, which they both enjoyed, after that the two of them chatted; they talked about the things going on in their lives and anything interesting recent events that happened to them. Vane would occasionally get up to let Dumpling out to potty, and he was constantly on the lookout for accidents. Vane at one point turned his webcam back on to show Dumpling off some more, including him playing tug of war and fetch with him. Lancelot wished this could last forever, he wished that he could be there and play with dumpling as well. Soon the little puppy fell asleep and Vane was free to talk to Lancelot without interruptions. Lancelot knew this was his chance to get information from Vane. 

 

“So Vane, hypothetically, when would be a good time for you to take some time off work?” 

 

“I mean, I can use my vacation time anytime I want, why ya askin’ Lancey?” 

 

      Lancelot sputtered out his response, though he planned to ask, he didn’t think of a reason why he’d be asking. He thought for a moment about lying, but maybe… just maybe the truth would be better in this situation. “Oh well, I looked over my finances, and I realized I have extra money that I could use to maybe come see you? Or maybe get you a plane ticket to come by my place…” Lancelot laughed nervously, he wasn’t sure what Vane would say, he knew that his friend probably would love the idea so he didn’t need to worry about him declining; but nonetheless, Lancelot felt anxious. Vane was silent for a moment, and Lancelot felt his anxiety growing. 

 

“V...Vane?”

 

“Oh! Sorry Lancey! I’m just so… shocked! You really have money saved to see me!? Really!!??” Lancelot heard sniffling coming from his speakers. Was… Vane crying?

 

“Vane? Are you okay?”

 

“Y-yes I’m okay Lancey! I’m just so happy! I’ve wanted to see you for so long! I’m gonna have to spring clean the house and make sure Dumpling doesn’t tear up anything and talk to my boss, oh! And I’ll try and make a list of things we can do while you’re here too! I’ll go grocery shopping and I’ll make sure I have your favourite desserts made for when you arrive too!” Vane kept babbling and Lancelot just sat silently and listened. He was so excited and it was like music to his ears, he could listen to this all night, fall asleep to it even. 

 

“Okay okay Vane, but we still need to iron out the details, like when would be the best time for me to fly over, then how long I can stay. I’ll talk to my boss and let you know what I can do. I’m really excited.” Lancelot tried to keep his voice calm and even, but his voice was slightly shaky and his excitement was barely contained. The two of them continued to discuss, suggestions for meals Vane could cook; Vane talked about things they could possibly do and some of his friends Lancelot could meet, they talked well into the night. 

 

\---

 

     The weekend ended just as quickly as it came and Lancelot made his normal commute to work, the traffic was the same, the morning coffee was the same, the hustle and bustle of the office was also the same. Lancelot felt his heart pounding, he thought about being able to see Vane for the first time since they were teenagers. Well, he says teenagers but Lancelot himself was only 13, and Vane was 11. He wanted to see how much Vane grew, according to him, he had gotten taller than Lancelot! He didn’t feel so sure about that; Vane was a whole head shorter than him last time they were together, and he was confident that he was still superior in height. He began his work with these thoughts in mind keeping him going. His motivations were clear, he needed to get time off to see his… his friend. He thought for a moment, should he say something to Vane? His feelings were clear, to himself at least. No matter how many partners he had, no matter how many hookups he went through, nothing truly felt right. When he thought of Vane, his blonde childhood friend with a smile as bright as the sun, eyes green like soft grass in a valley untouched by man, and wonderfully blonde hair that reminded him of sunflowers blowing in the wind. He was beautiful, and things felt so right with Vane. 

 

The workday was almost over, Lancelot stood from his desk and walked to his bosses office, he gently knocked on the door and waited for permission to come in. He entered the office somewhat nervously, he didn’t talk to his boss much, but he seemed like a strict man. Lancelot carefully walked towards his desk, clearing his throat awkwardly, his boss spoke. 

 

“What is it? What do you want?”

 

Ah, he sounded annoyed, perfect. Lancelot straightened his tie to give his hands something to do. “Ah yes, well, I wanted to ask you about possibly taking some vacation time after-”

 

“No vacations.”

 

Huh? Lancelot stared blankly. He wasn’t sure how to respond to that. It wasn’t like he could argue, he didn’t have a dying family member or anything. His boss looked over at him, tapping his fingers in annoyance. 

 

“Is that all you wanted? Well tough shit, we don’t give out vacation time here. Didn’t the hiring manager tell you that? Now get out of my office.”

 

“Y-yes sir, sorry sir.” Lancelot left as fast as he could. His stomach felt sour as he went back to his desk. Now what? This did not turn out how he planned at all. His fantasies, his desires, all burned to the ground. He continued his work until the day was over. He left the office. He didn’t want to break the news to Vane. 

 

He got home and threw his stuff on the table, not caring that he had knocked things over. It was just junk anyways. He pulled out his phone and stared at the screen, Vane wouldn’t be home for a while. He tried to think of what he would say, maybe they could think of something else they could do. Lancelot felt too upset to really think clearly. He laid on his couch and pulled out his phone. He opened the chat with him and Vane, he stared at it silently; then he typed. 

 

_ Lancelot: hey vane? I got bad news… _

 

To his surprise, he noticed Vane was typing a reply immediately, shouldn’t he still be at work?

 

_ Vane: couldnt get the time off huh :(? _

 

_ Lancelot: yes… i guess i forgot this job doesnt give vacation time _

 

_ Vane: excuse my language but _

 

_ Vane: darn it!!!!!! _

 

_ Vane: what r we gonna do!!!!  _

 

_ Vane: my bosses were totally cool with me using my vacay time so hmm… _

 

_ Lancelot: ah yeah, i would quit my job but i planned on getting promoted before i left this job _

 

_ Vane: how long do u think that would take _

 

_ Lancelot: a while… i noticed hardly anyone gets promoted here… _

 

_ Vane: nnnnNOOoo!!!!! _

 

_ Lancelot: :( _

 

_ Lancelot: sorry vane… _

 

_ Vane: its not ur fault lancey!!  _

 

_ Vane: its ur stupid job!! _

 

_ Vane: >:(!!! _

 

_ Lancelot: true  _

 

_ Vane: i gotta go for now _

 

_ Vane: but we can brainstorm something!! _

 

_ Lancelot: you’re right, i’ll try to think of something while i wait for you to some back _

 

_ Vane: ok! _

 

_ Vane: see u in a bit!! _

 

     Lancelot closed the app and sighed. He wasn’t sure exactly what he should do. Quitting his job just to see his childhood friend would be very unwise, but gods was it tempting. He’d have to at least save up for a couple months rent, then he’d have to do some rigorous job searching, he could not afford to be unemployed for long. He sat up and stretched; his mind was racing. It was possible for Vane to just come see him, but he had a roommate, and they would have to share a room. On top of that, Lancelot would still have to go to work, giving them less time to spend together. He walked into the kitchen as his roommate walked into the door, just getting home from work. Lancelot looked over and waved.

 

“Hey.”

 

“Hey.” 

 

“Why are you sitting over there looking like a kicked cat?” 

 

Lancelot was surprised, did he really look that upset? His roommate wasn’t ever too keen on asking about his personal business, but maybe he’d listen.

 

“Well, I was planning to go see my childhood friend, but my job doesn’t give vacations.” He laughed awkwardly. “So I’m just a bit bummed out.” 

 

His roommate walked over, a scowl on his face. “This is about your friend, what was his name, Bane?”

 

“Vane.” Lancelot’s eyebrow twitched in annoyance.

“Right, you chat constantly, I’m sure something can be worked out. That being said, I’m leaving next month for a while to visit my family. I’ll be gone for a couple weeks, by the way. 

 

“Wha-”

 

“I’m just letting you know, what you do with that information is up to you, Lancelot.” His roommate walked into the kitchen and pulled out some chicken he had put in the fridge the night before. 

 

“Since I’m feeling so nice today, I’ll make some dinner for the both of us.” 

 

Lancelot smiled. “Thanks Percival, I owe you one.”

 

All he got in response was a “Hmph.”

  
  
  
  



	2. Surprise!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now that Lancelot can't take the time to see Vane, both of them lament until Vane gets an idea.

Vane sighed to himself. He really wanted Lancelot to come see him; he knew he had to think of something! He pondered as he hooked a leash to his dogs collar. It was possible  _ he _ could visit instead - but since Lancey had a roommate and all, he wasn’t so sure that would be a great idea. He knew it would probably be the only way, so he figured he could still ask. The thought made him sigh in defeat. He needed to talk to Lancey about this.  

 

“Ahhh, why does it have to be like this…” Vane wondered if being as upset as he is was even normal, he and Lancey were just childhood friends...right? As kids, they were basically glued to each other. Everyone saw them as brothers. Even now that they were apart, they still talked everyday, called as often as possible, and tried doing as much as long distance friends could do together. But…Vane wanted to see him! He wanted to see his best friend! He felt selfish for thinking this way, but he hadn’t seen Lancey outside of pictures and videos in so long. He wanted to walk and talk in person, to cook a nice dinner for the two of them, go out for walks, maybe even hold hands! Vane blushed a little - hold hands, huh? Not that the thought hadn’t crossed his mind before, but it was just a bit embarrassing to think about. He always felt a bit guilty thinking about anything that could be seen as vaguely romantic with Lancey...he had always assumed his feelings would never be returned. Not that he minded! Lancey’s happiness was his own. 

 

Vane left his house, locking the door behind him; instead of going his usual walking route, he had another one in mind. A dog park was nearby, and Vane figured it would be a good idea to take his dog to the park for the first time! At this time of day there shouldn’t be too many people there, so he could see if his cute little pup was friendly with other dogs. He and his dog eventually made it to the park, and he took the leash off his pup, scratching his ears and petting him before letting him run off and explore. Vane only saw one other dog running around, so he watched the two intensely to make sure that there wouldn’t be any sort of conflict. The two dogs sniffed and examined each other, then began playing together. Vane smiled. Now that he thought about it, he had a friend with that same kind of dog... 

 

“Vane, nice to see you.”

 

“Huh?” Vane looked towards the voice. Nearby, another good friend of his was walking towards him.

 

“Oh, Siegfried! What’s up, man?” Vane grinned, and the two shook hands and walked to a nearby bench. 

 

“I see you finally got a dog, what’s its name?” 

 

Vane beamed. “Dumpling! Picked it since he looks kinda like one.” Vane laughed a little, and Siegfried smiled. 

 

“You’re right, he does look sort of like a dumpling.” 

The friends sat together in a comfortable silence. The dogs ran and chased each other around the park and Vane found himself getting up to run around with them and give them belly scratches. When Vane came back and sat down with Siegfried, the dogs were napping in the sun together. 

 

“Say… Siegfried…” Vane started, but trailed off. His voice had a pang of anxiety in it. 

 

“Hm?” Siegfried looked at Vane curiously.

 

“Well, I’ve been feeling kinda troubled…Would you mind listening to what I have to say?” Vane sat down next to his friend again, his nervousness causing him to avoid eye contact.

 

“You? Troubled? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you troubled since you moved out here. What’s wrong, Vane?”

 

Vane let out a sigh. “You know my best bud? Lancey? Well, we’ve been talking…We wanna see each other again. But, his job seems to be getting in the way of that. I know we barely started talking about the details, but I dunno. Should I really feel this upset over it?” 

 

“You two are really close right? I think it makes sense. Unless there’s more to it.”

 

Vane felt his cheeks heat up a tad. “Ah well! Not really. I just haven’t seen him in person in so long, he’s never tried how much my cooking has improved, and I think it’d be nice to show him around the city! Or maybe see how his city looks! We don’t even have to do much together y’know!? I’d be happy just coming home to see hi-” Vane cut himself off when he realized what he was saying. He felt his face get even more heated than before. Gods! He said too much! Siegfried just had a knowing smile.

 

“I see.” They both sat in silence again. Vane’s mind occupied with embarrassment. 

 

“Do you really feel that way about him?” Vane looked at Siegfried in surprise, then began scratching the back of his head. 

 

“Well… I mean yeah. I’ve always cared about Lancey y’know? He’s always been there for me, especially when…” Vane trailed off, not wanting to finish the thought.

 

“And you’ve never told him?” 

 

“Well no. Lancey...probably doesn’t feel the same. We haven’t actually seen each other in so many years. He’s got his own life, and I’ve got mine. I doubt we’d-”

 

“You won’t know unless you tell him, Vane. Are you afraid of rejection? Would you rather never know how he feels about you, because you’re afraid he won’t feel the same way?” 

 

“Well, I-” But Siegfried cut him off.

 

“You’ll never know unless you say something Vane. Just take some time to think.”  He stood from the bench and called his dog over, who ran to him excitedly. After securing the leash to the collar, Siegfried and his dog were gone. Vane continued to sit and fester with his thoughts. 

 

\---

 

Lancelot spent his weekend surfing the web and watching television. His roommate, Percival, had gone out to do...something. Lancelot wasn’t really paying attention when he mentioned it. His mind felt like tv fuzz and focused on his inability to go visit Vane. He knew his friend could definitely take the time off, but he didn’t want to go to work while he was there. Lancelot wanted to spend as much time with Vane as possible. It had been years, so he didn’t want to waste a single moment. The time would be so precious to him - even now, the hours spent messaging and calling Vane were the most precious moments in his life. It took him so long - lots of time dating other people, having one night stands, and trying to get an emotional connection like he had with Vane - to realize that all this time…All this time he loved Vane. During their childhood, Lancelot always stood up for Vane; he always put on a brave face for Vane even when he was also scared; he always knew what to say to make Vane feel better. Everything he’d done since they’ve became friends was for Vane. Lancelot closed his eyes. He thought of that day, shortly before Vane was forced to move away.

 

The day was like any other. He and Vane had a sleepover at his house, and the two of them (along with his parents) went to the museum for the day. His memory of this day was so vivid. The museum visit was a blast - they had a special event about dinosaurs, and they made little themed crafts together! Lancelot still had both of theirs in his room, put away and preserved. They ate lunch at their favorite restaurant, and they even got to have dessert! That day was spectacular...until they took Vane home. Lancelot walked Vane to his front door, they exchanged a quick hug, and Vane went inside. Lancelot walked back to his parents’ car, and they went home. Nothing about Vane’s house looked out of the ordinary.

 

It wasn’t until later he found out that the windows by the back door had been broken.

 

That Vane’s house had been ransacked, and his parents… his parents. Lancelot remembered the phone call the most. They got home, and not even a minute after walking into the door, the phone rang. The caller ID showed Vane’s mother was calling. Lancelot thought nothing of it. Sometimes Vane would use his parents’ cells to call him, as the house phone was too high up for him to reach. He just assumed Vane forgot something, and picked up the phone.

 

Lancelot could never forget the fear he felt in Vane’s voice. Vane was crying. He told Lancelot, through choked sobs, that there were people in his house. Lancelot’s blood froze. He told Vane to hide and be as quiet as possible. Vane told him his mom was in the kitchen, that there was blood everywhere, and that he could hear men going through the stuff in his house. Lancelot told him to hang up and call 911. Vane cried; he said he didn’t want to. He begged Lancelot to come save him. Lancelot informed his parents what was happening, and they called the police. Lancelot begged Vane not to move, and his friend’s words became unintelligible. Lancelot remembers telling Vane that everything was going to be okay, that help was coming, and Vane  whispered for Lancelot to come save him.  _ ‘Please please please Lancey, I’m so scared, I don’t wanna die Lancey I don’t wanna die…’   _ Lancelot tried to stay calm, to keep his voice as even as possible even though he was scared, he didn’t even notice Vane was crying until he heard muffled sobs minutes later. Over the phone, he heard a gunshot. He pleaded and begged Vane not to scream or cry; he had to be quiet. 

 

_ “Vane I know you’re scared. But please, please don’t make a noise. Please stay in your hiding spot. Vane…. Please…” _

 

Lancelot felt tears dripping down his face. His chest was aching. He wasn’t even there. But he felt every ounce of fear Vane felt, he wanted nothing more than to be by Vane’s side. 

 

The police arrived and the burglars barely escaped. When they entered the house, Lancelot remembers telling Vane that the good guys were there and it was safe to come out. He and his parents raced to Vane’s home. He remembers seeing the boy trembling and crying his eyes out, he remembers when Vane saw him, he ran and hugged him as tight as he could; Lancelot hugged him back. He remembered thinking that his friend never deserved any of this. To this day, he knows Vane never deserved to suffer that way, the fear, the shock, and the agony he went through when that happened. After that, Vane stayed with him for a while,as all of his family lived out of state. Until then, his parents agreed to watch him. Vane slept with him in his bed every night, he let Vane cry as much as he needed to, he always tried distracting him with games, with sweets, with anything. Lancelot wanted to help, at the time they were pretty young, so Lancelot had no idea how to properly comfort someone. He hoped he did a good job at least. Lancelot thought that ever since that day, he wanted to spend his life with Vane, and he wished he noticed it sooner. 

 

Lancelot felt the tears stream down his face, he didn’t want to think about anything at all, he opened his eyes that were blurry with tears. Lancelot moved the laptop from his lap to the coffee table, then he laid on the couch, and continued to let the bad memories flow. 

 

\--- 

 

Vane was home, his mind filled with thoughts of Lancelot; Siegfried was right. He knew he had feelings for his childhood friend, he always felt that nothing would ever come of it, or he had already missed his chance to say anything. He was afraid. Lancelot was quite popular with men and women, he had listened to all of Lancelot’s tales of who he was dating, his one time activities, his crushes. They never hid anything from each other. Not that Vane hadn’t dated at all, he’s had a couple of boyfriends, but to him it just didn’t feel the same. So the relationships never really lasted long for him. He also wasn’t one to share that information with Lancey either. Somehow he felt… guilty every time he’d want to mention it. He walked into his house, slipped his shoes off and leaned down to let Dumpling run around to play with his toys. The puppy picked up a stuffed animal and brought it to Vane, who wagged his tail in excitement. Vane grinned as he tried to take the toy, to which the puppy stepped back and moved his head away. Ah, Vane knew this game very well. Soon he was chasing the pup around, Vane occasionally playing tug of war with the dog, and sometimes throwing it somewhere for the dog to chase and bring back. It was quite a nice distraction. Soon, the pup was all wore out, and was sleeping soundly in his little bed Vane had bought for him. Meanwhile, Vane had began preparing dinner for himself. He was chopping vegetables and lost himself in his thoughts. 

 

“I think I’ve made my decision…” Vane declared it to no one but himself, he felt his chest swell with happiness. He was going to put his plan into action as soon as he possibly could. 

\---

 

The upcoming weeks Vane spent planning; first, he talked to Lancelot, secretly trying to figure out what time during the year was least busy for his job. The next step was requesting time off work, which was very easy. Vane hadn’t used any of his vacation days, and he decided he was going to use all of them to see his friend. Step three- flight tickets, this was a little difficult, but he managed. He and Lancelot talked as usual, Vane never mentioned his plan, and Lancelot would occasionally mention feeling upset over them not being able to see each other. When he did this, Vane tried to change the subject, which worked pretty well. The day of his flight came closer and closer. The excitement and anxiety he felt grew stronger and stronger as the days passed. Soon enough he was at the airport, bags packed, and waiting by his gate. He told Lancelot he had some important stuff to do for a few hours, and luckily he bought it. Vane felt restless for the entire flight, especially when they were preparing to land. Since they were so close, he already had Lancelot’s address. So he knew... Sort of, where he was going. The anxiety grew stronger as he left the airport- as much as he wanted to go straight to Lancey’s place, first he needed to eat, then go to a flower shop. Vane wanted to cook for the two of them on his first day there, but unfortunately he started to feel exhausted due to his constant stress. He found a place to eat, when he sat down he opened his messaging app. 

 

_ Vane: hey lancey!! i’m done with my errands!!! _

 

_ Lancelot: Vane! That took a while, but i’m glad it’s all done. I’m free all day today so maybe we could call?  _

 

_ Vane: hmmmm i cant rn :( im at a restaurant _

 

_ Lancelot: huh?? Don’t you hate eating out? _

 

_ Vane: yea but im pretty far from home at the moment and im hungry so i gotta do what i gotta do _

 

_ Vane: plus i do actually have one final errand to run before i head back, but all the important stuff is done :D  _

 

_ Lancelot: i see… _

 

_ Vane: hey!!! Dont ‘i see…’ me!! I got a surprise for you!! _

_ Lancelot: ?? you do?  _

 

_ Vane: ya!!! Ill be able to show u later tonight ;DDD _

 

_ Lancelot:  i’m actually kind of excited…. But wouldn’t it be better for you just to mail it to me and let me see it in person? _

 

_ Vane: silly lancey!!!! U dont even know what the surprise could possibly be!!! _

 

_ Vane: anyways!  _

 

_ Vane: gotta go!!! _

 

_ Lancelot: vane? _

 

Vane quickly closed the app, he giggled to himself like a giddy school girl. He sat back and enjoyed his time at the restaurant. His next stop- the flower shop. Vane looked up nearby flower shops and made his way to the one he felt had what he was looking for. 

 

“Welcome!” The woman behind the counter smiled and walked over to Vane. 

 

“What can I help you find today sir?” Vane smiled back at her.

 

“Well, I’d like to get a  bouquet of your nicest roses Please.” 

 

“Oh? For someone special hmm?” Vane gave her a shy smile and nodded. “ That’s lovely, coming right up.” 

 

He watched the woman pick out the nicest roses she could find; carefully, she made the bouquet for him.

 

“Would you like to attach a message with your bouquet?”

 

“No thanks ma’am!” Vane grinned and paid for the roses. “I think my words will be more important.” The woman wished him a nice day as he left the store.

 

Now to his final destination. Lancelot’s apartment. Vane sat  in an anxious silence as he was driven to the address. Upon arrival, he tipped the driver and walked towards the building, roses in hand. He felt so anxious and out of focus as he searched for the door with the correct number, quickly, he pulled out his phone. Vane had just realized he hadn’t checked if Lancey was even home! A bad move on his part.

 

  
_ Vane: lancey ur home right?? _

 

_ Lancelot: ? _

 

_ Lancelot: yeah why _

 

Vane sighed in relief as he put his phone back in his pocket, he could feel it vibrating- he assumed Lancey was trying to coax an answer out of him. 

 

Ah! He found the right door! Vane stood nervously in front of it, he took a deep breath to try to calm himself down. He knocked, almost too quietly. From inside, he heard a muffled Lancelot’s voice say, ‘Were you expecting someone Percival?’ Another voice, Percival he assumed, reply that he wasn’t. Vane could hear footsteps and Lancey’s voice say he’d answer the door. There was a moment of silence. Lancelot opened the door, Vane pulled the bouquet of roses from behind him. 

 

“Surprise!! Did ya miss me Lancey?” Vane was grinning ear, he felt himself blushing, but he didn’t care. His friend from childhood, the man he hadn’t seen in so many years, and the man he fell in love with, possibly even his first love, was standing in front of him. Speechless. There Vane was, standing in front of him, in the flesh, holding a beautiful bouquet of roses. His smile was wide and full of joy. He didn’t even think, Lancelot had launched himself at Vane, wrapping his arms around his best friend. 

 

“Vane!” 

 

Vane embraced him back, Lancelot felt like he couldn’t speak. Did he die and go to heaven? The two broke their hug, they looked into each others eyes. After a few moments, he surveyed Vane’s body as well. Lancelot hadn’t realized Vane was so… built, and tall! He was so much smaller when he last saw him! Vane once again held the bouquet in front of him. 

 

“I uh, also wanted to tell you something. I think… I’m in love with you Lancey… So I. I got you these roses…” Vane was blushing, and his words were unsure and anxious. Lancelot felt his brain short circuiting, he felt his heart beating through his chest. He stood there, absolutely flabbergasted. Vane? Loved him? Truly? He felt the same? Lancelot wasn’t sure how to reply, in reality, he wanted to kiss Vane right there, but he noticed that he was still standing outside of his door, things in hand, in his hallway. Awkwardly, he opened the door all the way and stepped to the side. 

 

“V….Vane. Come inside.” He took the roses, though he didn’t see it, he felt like Vane was frowning a little. Percival looked up from the book he was reading from the couch. 

 

“Is that your new boy toy?” 

 

Lancelot glared and shot Percival a nasty look.

 

“No. This is Vane! Remember, my childhood friend?” Percival quickly shut his book and stood up.

 

“I see.” Quickly, he retreated to his room without another word.  

 

Lancelot turned back to Vane. “Ah, sorry about him… Sit down? Just set your bags down anywhere we can figure something out in a bit.” 

“U-uh okay..” Vane awkwardly out his bags down and sat at the kitchen table, Lancelot sat on the chair next to his.”

 

“Vane…”

 

“Y… Yeah?” 

 

“You’re really in love with me?”

 

Vane looked away, blushing “Uh yeah... sorry if you don’t feel the same Lancey, and sorry I just dropped by so suddenly, maybe I shoulda said somethi-” Vane was cut off as he felt Lancelot’s hand take hold of his, he felt his blush deepen as he whipped his head back to look at his friend. “L-Lancey?” 

 

“I’ve never thought I’d be able to admit it, but I’m in love with you too Vane…” Lancelot was also blushing,  he looked Vane in the eyes as he confessed. Vane stared at Lancelot dumbly, he was in shock. Lancey felt the same!? He kept sitting like that, his mouth agape like as he tried to fully take in the information Lancelot told him, he didn’t even notice that his friend was leaning in close until he felt pressure on his lips!

 

“Wah!?” Vane pulled back quickly, his chest was pounding and his head was spinning. He had no idea what to do, he felt confused and struggled with this reality he was in. He heard Lancelot laugh and he looked in his direction with his cheeks puffed out. 

 

“That’s not fair Lancey! You can’t surprise me like that!!”  

“Sorry sorry, you just looked so cute.” Vane pouted at his… friend? Were they still friends? Or something more… He spoke up.

 

“S-so Lancey, does this mean were… uh…” 

 

“Dating? You tell me.” Lancelot had a devious smirk on his lips. Vane looked at him in confusion.

 

“Huh?”

 

“Kiss me.” The words echoed in Vane’s head, he looked into Lancelot’s eyes once more, who seemed like they were challenging him. Vane nervously and slowly leaned over, his head was spinning as his face got closer to Lancelot’s. Slowly, slowly, slowly, he leaned in; he closed his eyes. Leaning closer, closer, closer until he felt his lips touch Lancelot’s. He felt his friend...boyfriend? Lean into the kiss, then he felt arms wrap around his middle. Vane returned the gesture, and the two of them stayed that way, until Vane felt a tongue at his lips, to which he yelped and pulled away. 

 

The two of them heard an annoyed groan and looked over to see Percival, a packed suitecase by his side and a frown on his lips.

 

“I’m going to my family’s house early.” With that, he left. Lancelot laughed. Vane sat there, just as confused as ever. He leaned onto Vane, burying his face in his new boyfriend’s chest. Lancelot inhaled deeply and the two of them sat in a comfortable silence. After a while, Lancelot looked up at Vane.

 

“You know Vane, you have a really nice body, have you been working out?” Vane scratched the back of his head and laughed.

 

“Yeah! I wanted to be strong like you, so I go to the gym every morning and watch my diet.”

 

To this, Lancelot felt another blush coming on. Strong like him huh? Lancelot quickly shook it off, he wasn’t done teasing!

 

“And who gave you permission to get taller than me?” Lancelot crossed his arms and Vane laughed.

 

The two of them spent the rest of the evening laughing and enjoying themselves well into the night. They talked about what they could do the next day, what foods Vane could cook for his new boyfriend to try, what they could do for the future. It was at this moment the two of them, these close childhood friends, never wanted to be apart again. It would take time and effort to figure out the details of what lies ahead of them, but they were willing to do anything they could to stay together. Nothing could ever break them apart. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HGHGHFFGHGRHGRHGR this too WAAAAAY longer than i meant it to. so sorry! i've been going through some personal stuff and i basically became a depression vegetable for a bit. this chapter was partially edited by a friend of mine, so as soon as u see the punctuation get fucked up youll know where they stopped LMAO. also apologies if the ending is kind of....bleh? i wasnt exactly sure how to end it. but im too tired to keep going.... if i ever get bored and inspired again i might? do an epilogue? i dunno. i just have more fic ideas im excited about so!!! and i need to work on the other two multi chapter ones ive started. i miss them so much. i want to try and have a good update schedule but for now itll still be sporadic. so i apologize for that. anyways!! enjoy! sorry its so late!
> 
> **please do not seek out my social media to contact me, if you have any issues, please ask and i will give you something i feel comfortable sharing. thank you.**

**Author's Note:**

> i wanted....to post this on valentines day but... its 4 days late...whoops.. ON TOP OF THAT I WANTED THIS TO BE ONE CHAPTER BUT NOW ITS GONNA BE A TWO PARTER JHGDKHS thats how my life fuckin be i gUESS. lol anyways happy late valentines day! ill make sure to work on part two faster than this part. i just wanted to go head and post something so it wasnt like i forgot or anything. also next on my list is baby vane chapter 2 and chapter 3 for homewrecker percy! stay tuned!!! i have way too many ideas and im overwhelming myself a little, i had to scrap a couple projects bc of this. i think ill focus on finishing what ive started before posting new fics haha.
> 
>  
> 
> **please do not seek out my social media to contact me, if you have any issues, please ask and i will give you something i feel comfortable sharing. thank you.**


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